Spaceband for justifying matrix lines



Nov. 20, 1934. H, R, FREUND 1,981,835

SPACEBAND FOR JUSTIFYING MATRIX LINES Fi led March 3, 1934 X .u" L 7INVENTOR a 6 7 z: fiZ'RMfi 7/R.FkU/VD ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 20, 1934SPACEBAND Foa JUSTIFYING MATRIX LINES. I

Herman R. Freund, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Intertype Corporation,corporation of New York Brooklyn, N. Y., a

Application March 3, 1934, Serial No. 713,912 8 Claims. (01. 199-48) Thepresent invention relates to improvements in expansible spacebands ofthe well-known type employed for justifying lines of .matrices assembledfrom the keyboard of matrix composing and line casting machines of theclass disclosed .15 drive on the longer wedge member increases the 4thickness or distance between the outer parallel faces of the spacebandand thus expands or justifies the line, the shortwedge member beingretained against upward movement by lugs or ears at its upper end whichproject outwardly from the short member to engage. in grooves providedtherefor in the line holding device or so-called first elevator of themachines in which these spacebands are commonly used.

While such spacebands as heretofore construct- 4 ed are suitableformachine composition, in which case they are dropped from a storagereceptacle into, the line, as required, in responseto the striking of aspaceband release key on the keyboard of the machine, theyare notwell-suited for use in hand composition work wherein individualmatrices, either too large to run in the composing machine orconstituting short fonts of display characters, are picked from storagetrays-and assembled by hand in a composing stick which may 'be adaptedto present the line clamped therein directly to the mold of a slugcasting machine or from which the line may be transferred-to. suitableline receiving means for presenting it to the 40 mold and, after thecast, transferred back to the stick from which the matrices may bedistributed one by one into their proper. places in the storage trays. VI

Among the reasons why the usual style or type of spacebands are unsuitedto hand composition is the fact that the lugs or earsat the top of theshort member of such spacebands as heretofore constructed do not occupythe same level with the lugs or ears on the matrices.- Therefore, in

5. order to accommodate such spacebands on the composing stick, it isnecessary to provide the stick with retaining rails at the requiredlevel for the spacebands as well as railsat another level for thematrices, and these different levels of assembly must thereafter be,maintained, whether the line is transferred from the stick to enableother devices to present it to a mold or remains in the stick during thecasting of a slug from the matrices therein. Asa result,the.compositoris required to assemble the matrices and spacebandsat respectivelydifferent levels which consumes extr'a'time, the construction .of thestick is more complicated, and the castingof justified hand set linescan not be accomplished with satisfaction or efliciency. 7

These objections may be overcome to some extent by the spacebanddisclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,740,435 granted December. 17, 1929,whereinthe short member of the spaceband is provided with lugs or carsat the'same-level with and substantially conforming in shape to theupper pair of projecting lugs or ears on an ordinary matrix, so that thespacebands are supported on'the usual upper matrix supporting rails inthe first elevator jaws. The short members ofsuch spacebands, however,are free to move vertically since the lugs at the top thereof are ofless height than the vertical extent of the matrix channel in theelevator jaws. Accordingly, when the long members of such spacebands aredriven upwardly during justification'of the line, the short membersthereof are also free to be moved upwardly so, that the expanding rangeof the spacebands is not fully effective and the justifying action isnot always satisfactory.

I The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improvedspaceband which will overcome all of the above-mentionedobjections, andto this end, the invention provides a spaceband the short member ofwhich, in respect to certain essential features, has a configurationcor- I responding to'that of the matrices with which it is to cooperate.In its broadest sense, the invention contemplates the provision on theshort member of a spaceband, of any means or facility, in addition tothe lugs orears heretofore provided thereon, corresponding to a similarmeans or facility on the associated matrix, which will enable thespaceband tov be alined or retained, and particularly, to enablealinement and retention of the spaceband during its cooperation withmatrices, by. the means ordinarilyprovided for alining and retaining thematrices.

For the purpose of illustration and Without restricting the invention.in any respect, the im- 05 proved spaceband is shown in the accompanyingdrawing in connection with a composing stick adapted for use with atypographical machine in a manner similar to that disclosed in myabove-noted patent, but an improved form of that D stick has been chosenwhich constitutes the subject matter of my copending application SerialNo. 713,231 filed February 27, 1934, such improved form of stick beingespecially constructed to suit the spaceband provided by the presentinvention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a spaceband embodying the present inventionas viewed from one of its sides;

Figure 2 is an edge view in elevation of the spaceband shown in Figure1, as viewed from the right in that figure;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the matrix line receiving jaws of the linetransporter or so-called first elevator of a typographical machine, asviewed from the right hand or line receiving end thereof, showing one ofthe improved spacebands and also a matrix in position therein;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of a matrix line composing stick, showingone of the improved spacebands and also a matrix in position therein;

Figure 5 is an edge elevation of one of the improved spacebands having arelatively thick body or short member; 25

Figure 6 is an elevation of another embodiment of the improved spacebandaccording to the present invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a novel form of matrix adapted for usewith the improved spaceband shown in Fig. 6; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse section through the improvedspaceband taken on the line 88 in Fig. 1.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in theseveral figures.

In the present instance, the spaceband as shown comprises a long wedgemember 1 having the usual longitudinal slot 2, the edges 3 of which arebeveled or dovetailed to form guide surfaces which cooperate withsimilarly beveled or dovetailed edges on a bearing portion 4 on theinner side of the short member 5 of the spaceband, on which bearingportion the long wedge member 1 can slide freely up and down, as usualin spacebands of ordinary construction. According to the presentinvention, the short member 5, as shown, is also formed with oppositelydisposed upper lugs or ears 6 which correspond to the usual upper lugs Ior ears on a standard matrix, although these lugs or ears may be of theusual form and location. According to the present invention, however,one or more lugs or ears '7 are provided on the short member of thespaceband at or near the lower end thereof corresponding to a similarlylocated ear or ears on the matrix with which the spaceband is tocooperate. The ears 6 are preferably beveled or sharpened across theirtops, as indicated at 8, the bevel extending partially down the sides ofthe ears, as indicated, for the purpose of facilitating the entry of thespacebands between the parallel faces of adjacent matrices, it beingunderstood that the matrices are stacked fiatwise against one another onor in a composing stick, and unless beveled as indicated, the spacebandscould not be inserted so readily between the matrices.

In Figure 3 a spaceband embodying the present invention is shownsupported by its upper lugs 7 or ears 6 on the usual matrix supportingrails 9 and 10 in the front and rear jaws 11 and 12 respectively of thewell-known first elevator of a typographical machine which elevatorcarries the line to and from the slug casting mold in the usual A andwell-known manner, and the short member 5 of the spaceband shown in thisinstance has two lower ears 7 one of which lies adjacent to the aliningand retaining rail 13 of the jaw 11. A matrix of the usual form isindicated as also supported on the rails 9 and 10 of the first elevatorjaws by its usual upper lugs or ears, this matrix being behind the shortmember 5 of the spaceband and having the usual combination ordistributor teeth 14 in its upper edge and character punchings 15 in itsmold engaging edge, the matrix however otherwise conforming in outlineto that of the short member 5 of the improved spaceband.

As will be clear to those familiar with machines in which thesespacebands may be used, the long wedge members 1 of the spacebands aredriven upwardly through the line of matrices in the line transporter orfirst elevator to expand or justify the line, and the matrices areretained against upward movement during justification by engagement oftheir lower front lugs against the under side of one or the other of therails 13 and 16 in the elevator, according to whether the upper or lowercharacter of the matrix is to be presented to the mold. Since thespaceband constructed in accordance with the present invention, has atleast one lower ear 7 corresponding to one of the lower ears of thematrices with which it is to cooperate, it will be seen that the shortmember 5 of such spaceband will likewise be retained against upwardmovement by engagement of such lower ear thereon with one or the otherof the rails 13 and 16 of the elevator, thus differing from the usualarrangement employing ordinary spacebands as heretofore constructed,wherein the grooves 1'7 and 18 provided in the jaws of the firstelevator constituted the means for retaining the short members of suchspacebands against upward movement, spacebands of the usual form asheretofore constructed having but one pair of upper ears located at alevel above that of the upper ears on the matrices in order to enter theretaining grooves 17 and 18 at a higher level and especially providedfor such purpose.

It will be understood however that one of the principal features of thepresent invention resides in the provision, in addition to the ears orlugs heretofore present, of a lug or ear, or the equivalent thereof, onthe short member of a spaceband to serve as a means or facility foraligning and retaining the spaceband, especially while cooperating withmatrices. The invention therefore contemplates within its scope theprovision of at least one lower lug or ear '7 in addition to whateverupper lugs or ears the spaceband may have, whether such upper lugs orears are of the usual kind or are formed so as to correspondsubstantially in location and configuration to upper lugs or ears or thelike on a matrix, the addition of at least one lower lug or ear on theshort member of the spaceband providing sufficient means or facility toenable the spaceband to be retained during assembly, as on a composingstick or in the first elevator of the machine, by cooperation with thesame rails which are provided for retaining the matrices.

The convenience with which the improved spaceband can be assembled on acomposing stick and the simplicity of construction rendered possible asa result of the novel features of the improved spaceband will beapparent from Figure 4 of the drawing. As shown in this figure, thecomposing stick comprises an integral one-piece bottom and side wall 20,the stick being viewed endwise and having its bottom and side wallsextending in right-angularrelation;the, bottom or horizontal wall of thestick having asingle rail 21 extending longitudinally thereof inparallelism with but spaced'from the upright or side wall of .the stickadistance slightly greater than the length ofa standard matrix. Thematrix in this figure is identified by the dotted lines indicating theusual combination or distributor teeth 14 in the V-notch at its top end,and since the short member of the improved spaceband has lower ears, andin this instance it has the configuration of the matrix in respect toall of its ears, it willkbe evident that the lower lugs or ears of boththe matrices and thespacebands are alined by the common rail 21 on thestick and both elements of the composed line are held against slidingendwise by this rail. The upright or side wall of the stick has a bar22-fixed to its inner side and extending along the length thereof inparallelism with therail 21, this bar entering the V-shaped notches inthe upper ends of the matrices and spacebands andthus retain-- ing thematrices and spacebands against falling over side wise. The improvedspaceband is thus adapted to be assembled with matrices in aconvenientmanner and without the necessity of complicating the composing stick byproviding for different levels of assembly andfor maintaining separatealinements of the matrices and the spacebands on the stick or byproviding for different levels of the matrices and spacebands duringtransfer of the lines from the stick or upon presentation of the line inthe stick to the slug casting mold, so that the casting of justifiedlines from matrices composed on a stick by hand is rendered practicaland may be accomplished economically.

The short member 5 of the improved spaceband may if desired be maderelatively thick, as shown in Fig. 5, for the purpose of providing agreater initial space between the character mat rices in a line beforethe spaceband is expanded. A spaceband of this form may be employedadvantageously when the character matrices are relatively large as forexample for producing slugs for printing head-letter or. large displaylines. In such classes of printing, it is desirable to provide forspacing between Words which will be in proper proportion to the largecharacters, and the thickened short member of the spaceband as shown inthis figure will serve to provide a wider spacing when such is desired.

Obviously, one of the lower or bottom ears 7, for example theone at theright in Fig. 3, may not necessarily be present on the short member ofthe spaceband, since this car is not used for alinement purposes.However, by providing both bottom ears '7 on the short member of thespaceband when such is possible, the spacebands may be assembled atrandom with respect to their edgewise position on the composing stickand yet present a lower or bottom ear to the rail 13 or 16 in the firstelevator or to the rail 21 on the stick.

In Figure 6, which shows another embodiment of the invention, the shortmember 5 of the spaceband corresponds in configuration to that of thematrix 23 shown in Figure 7, such matrix having a body of greater lengththan the ordinary matrix in order to bear a character 24 of larger size,and in this instance the'configuration of the short member 5 of thespaceband conforms with that of the matrix shown in Figure 7 also withrespect to the single lower ear 7 on the short member 5 of the spacebandwhich corresponds with the singlelower ear 25 on the matrix, thelocation of this eary25 on the matrix being the same as thatof theleft-handear 7 on the spaceband as shown in Figure 3 or; the lower ear 7at the bottom or resting on the composing stick in Figure 4, orthecorresponding ear on the usual matrix of ordinary length: The greaterlength of the short member 5 of the spaceband in Figure 6. provides thenecessary extent of surface for cooperation with the fiat side of thelonger matrix shown. in Figure. 7. The single lower ear 7 in Figure 6serves to sustain the spaceband against therail .21 on the composingstick and against upward movement inthe first elevator by contact withthe rail Her 16 in the first elevator jaws shown in Fig. 3 duringjustification,' and it will be apparent. that the single lower ear 25 onthe matrix shown in Figure 7 also serves the same purposes.

Thus by'forming' the short member of the spaceband with the sameconfiguration. as to length as that of'the'matrix and including in suchconfiguration, in addition to the lugsv or cars heretofore present, atleast one alining and retaining means or facility corresponding to alike means or facility at or near the lower end of the matrix with whichthe spaceband is to be used, the utility of the spaceband is enhancedsince, whether the matrices are of ordinary length or extended length,the spaceband will be suitable for cooperation therewith in assembling,justifying and casting without requiring special provisions forsupporting, alining or retaining it in the composing stick or in thecasting machine. It will also be apparent that if the configuration ofthe short member according to the present invention includes anextension of its length as well as one or more lower lugs or earscorresponding in form and location with one or more of the lower aliningand retaining means or facilities on a matrix, the spacebandwill becapable of cooperating with matrices I of correspondingly extendedlength or matrices of ordinary length.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and longmembers presenting parallel outer faces and adapted for insertionbetween adjacent matrices having parallel faces and ears projecting fromtheir sides at the top and bottom in the plane of one of their faces,

the short member having ears corresponding to ly movable short and longwedge members, the.

short member having ears projecting from both sides at its upper end andbeveled across their tops to present a sharpened edge, said bevelextending along the side edges of said ears for at least a portion oftheir length, and at least one ear projecting from a side of said shortmember at its lower end.

4. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and longwedge members of equal width, the short member having ears projecting'Fil beyond its width from both sides at its upper end and at least oneear projecting beyond its width at its lower end, the thickness of theears on the short member being less than the thickness of said member.

5. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and longwedge members of equal width, the short member having ears projectingbeyond its width from both sides at its upper end and at least one earprojecting beyond its width at its lower end, the ears at the upper endof the short member being beveled or tapered across their tops, and thethickness of the ears on the short member being less than the thicknessof said member.

6. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and longwedge members adapted to cooperate with the parallel side faces ofmatrices of different lengths but having similarly located alining andretaining lugs at their edges, the short member having a configurationcorresponding in length to that of the longest matrix with which itcooperates and including in its configuration at least one alining andretaining lug corresponding to similar lugs on the matrices.

7. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and longwedge members adapted to cooperate with the parallel side faces ofmatrices of difierent lengths having upper and lower alining andretaining means at their edges, the short member having a configurationcorresponding in length to that of the longest matrix with which itcooperates and including in its configuration a portion corresponding toat least one of the lower alining and retaining means on said matrix.

8. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and longwedge members adapted to cooperate with the parallel side faces ofmatrices having upper and lower projecting ears at their edges andhaving body portions of standard length, and similar matrices of greaterthan standard length, the increased length of the latter matricesextending below the lower projecting ear thereon, said short member ofthe spaceband being of increased length to cooperate with the side facesof matrices of either of said lengths and having a configuration whichincludes that of at least one of the lower projecting ears on thematrices.

HERMAN R. FREUND.

